Taras
Dobusz

1950 - 2017

Obituary of Taras Dobusz

Taras Dobusz

December 29, 1950 - August 8, 2017

Taras Dobusz was born December 29, 1950, in Newark, the son of Gregory Hryhoriy and Helen Halyna (nee Sydorenko) Dobusz, soon after his parents emigrated to the United States. His family then moved to Green Brook, where Taras attended elementary school, was active in Boy Scouts, played Little League baseball, attended Ukrainian Saturday School, and was a member of the Ukrainian American Youth Association. As a Boy Scout, he worked his way up to the rank of Star Scout, and in eighth grade, he was chosen to serve as Honorary Mayor of Green Brook for a Day. After learning to play the piano, his love of music inspired him to teach himself to play the guitar.

Taras attended high school in Bound Brook, for his freshman year, after which the family moved to Bridgewater, where he graduated from Bridgewater - Raritan High School East, Class of 1969. He was an excellent student, inducted into the National Honor Society; a model student leader, serving on the Student Council; and an outstanding three season athlete, excelling in football, wrestling, and tennis. He also began to focus his interest in architecture, never ceasing to sketch ideas and concepts, and always striving to find the right blend of aesthetics and engineering.

Taras attended the Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, and after graduating in 1974, he gained professional experience working for several different firms. He eventually began his own architectural practice designing commercial, domestic, restaurant, manufacturing, and religious structures and interior spaces. As an architect, Taras always welcomed the collaborative process that involves the sharing of ideas, meeting of minds, and even lively confrontation of opinions.

Inspired by the love of his Ukrainian heritage, Taras specialized in designing Ukrainian churches, and his work includes: St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, Whippany, St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church, Hillsborough, St. Anne’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Warrington, Pennsylvania, St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Campbell Hall, New York, and Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania. He also designed the Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey in Whippany, and camp facilities for the Ukrainian American Youth Association property in Ellenville, New York.

He is survived by his father Hryhoriy, mother Halyna, sister Olia Lupan and her husband Walter, nephew Andrew, niece Nina, two aunts and many cousins in the United States and Ukraine, and a very broad and varied circle of friends. Taras’ impeccable memory allowed him to fortify and maintain lasting relationships and memories while continuously enlarging his circle of friends wherever he went.

Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, August 12, 2017, at St. Andrew Memorial Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 280 Main Street, South Bound Brook. Interment will be at St. Andrew Cemetery, on the church grounds. Friends will be received 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. Friday, August 11, at the funeral home, with a Panachyda Service at 7:00 P.M.